Booker winners

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I was surprised that both Atwood and Evaristo won the Booker. I don't think The Testaments deserved it. I wanted Ducks, NBP to win.

What did everyone else think of the double win? What did you think would win? What did you want to win?

I’m halfway through The Testaments and it’s very enjoyable. I’ll have to reserve judgement until I’m finished. I loved Girl, Woman, Other. I think it’s a worthy winner. The characters have stuck with me. The brilliant representation of all different kinds of black women’s experiences. I loved it.
Ducks, Newburyport. I’m glad I read it. I was even more glad when I finally finished it. It has something about it but I’m glad it didn’t win.
I liked Lanny the best.

I’ve read both and really didn’t think The Testaments was anywhere near Atwood’s best work. I loved Girl, Women, Other and it’s really stayed with me, one of the few Booker nominees I will probably read again. I also loved Lanny, thought it was magical and was really sad it didn’t make the shortlist.

Honestly think that if the prize had been genuinely awarded to the best novel then Evaristo should have won alone and I bit sad that her remarkable achievement is being overshadowed by the controversy of the joint win.

What a terrible decision to have a joint winner, it really undermined the award.
I saw and was in agreement with Sam Jordison of Galley Beggar Publishers (Ducks) that it is a book prize not a career prize so unless the judges read the back catalogue of all the authors and took them into consideration then awarding the prize to The Testaments is unfair.

Lanny was my winner.

Following in from his Twitter comments Sam Jordison has written a really interesting article on the decision and about the process that authors/publishers have to go through to be part of the Booker: www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/what-happened-booker-prize-ellmann/

Bernadine Evaristo was due a win I think. The way she writes is at once very creative and evocative of place and character but also very accessible.

So many of her books have won or been nominated for other things.
I've moved on to Mr Loverman now which is also amazing.

Whereas I feel like Margaret Atwood either writes in an accessible way (penelopiad, handmaid's tale) or this cleverclever way I just can't enjoy at all.
I will read The Testaments though and I will enjoy it.

myreadingchallenge. That is a very interesting article, thank you. I don’t think Atwood should have won, I think she really won for ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and her general legacy.
Evaristo should have been the outright winner- it’s a wonderful book.
I also think the winner is often chosen for political reasons. Last year - resonates with me too movement. What trendy current issue does the novel relate to? Ah, your novel has a non binary character. Massive tick! (Still think it shoud have won though).

Thanks for that article myreadingchallenge